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Discover the reasons why the beloved chef, Sanji, left Luffy and his crew in One Piece.
Sanji is a fan-favorite character in One Piece who made waves among the fandom when he left the Straw Hat Pirates. His decision sparked outrage both inside the show among his crew and outside the show among fans. This set the stage for a deeply emotional and action-packed arc. So why did Sanji leave Luffy and the Straw Hats?
Sanji’s family forced him into a political marriage with Big Mom’s daughter, and the Straw Hats would have been attacked by the fearsome Yonko if he had refused.
What Were Sanji’s Reasons for Leaving Luffy in One Piece?
Sanji’s decision to leave Luffy was a heavy one since the chef had finally found friends he could trust and a passion to follow. However, he was forced to leave the crew due to two main reasons:
1) His Estranged Family:
Sanji endured a harsh upbringing with the Vinsmoke family, who saw him as weak and unworthy. As royalty of the Germa Kingdom, they wished to create a strategic alliance with the Big Mom Pirates by marrying Sanji to Big Mom’s daughter.
Due to this, Sanji was dragged back into his childhood trauma.
2) The Big Mom Pirates:
The main reason Sanji left Luffy was the fear of Big Mom’s actions if he should reject her daughter. The Straw Hats had just finished facing Doflamingo, one of the Warlords of the Sea, and they had struggled to defeat him. As one of the Four Emperors, Big Mom was known to be stronger than Doflamingo himself.
Due to this, Sanji’s biggest fear was the Big Mom Pirates. Though the Straw Hats were piling achievements, they remained too weak to challenge an Emperor’s entire fleet.
Additionally, Sanji’s second home in the Baratie and his adoptive father Zeff were also under threat. Since both The Big Mom Pirates and The Vinsmoke family could have Zeff assassinated easily, so Sanji’s hands were tied. To prevent this disastrous setting, Sanji decided to save his friends and get married.
Circumstances of Sanji’s Departure
The circumstances and sequence of events after Sanji’s departure changed the world of One Piece forever. After Sanji left, Luffy and the crew found a letter from him. It mentioned how he had left to meet a woman and would be back.
However, after hearing of the possibility that Sanji might have been manipulated into getting married, Luffy resolved to go and save his friend. At the same time, the crew had already prepared to enter Wano and face Kaido, since they had already damaged his SMILE Fruit operation.
So, they made a plan to split up. Luffy, Chopper, Nami, and Brook would infiltrate Whole Cake Island, while the rest of the crew would head to Wano first.
Their initial idea was to discreetly save Sanji and then join the rest of the Straw Hats at Wano. However, the Whole Cake Island Arc eventually turned into a mini-war. This signaled a change in times and a shift in the power structure within the world of One Piece.
Did Sanji Betray Luffy in One Piece?
Sanji’s choice to leave Luffy and the Straw Hats after spending so much time traveling the seas with them could easily be seen as a betrayal by many fans. While he was pressured into his decision, he did one-sidedly decide to leave the crew.
When Luffy came to rescue him, Sanji refused to return and fought Luffy, calling him a “low-class pirate.”
While this might make it seem like betrayal on the surface, in truth, Sanji’s choice was extremely selfless and bold. Refusing marriage could lead to his friends risking their deaths at the hands of the powerful Big Mom Pirates and Vinsmoke family. He decided to prevent this by sacrificing himself, even if it meant being harsh to his captain.
The most important thing to consider here is that Luffy did not find Sanji’s actions to be a betrayal. Knowing him well, Luffy realized that there was some meaning behind Sanji’s choice and decided to save him anyway.
Sanji’s departure from the Straw Hat Pirates stemmed from love and a desire to protect them. In this case, his actions were far more heroic than they were a betrayal.
Did Sanji Return to the Straw Hats?
Many fans feared Sanji’s serious departure might mean he had permanently left the Straw Hat Pirates. To their relief, everyone’s favorite chef, Sanji, rejoined the crew as they left Whole Cake Island.
While initially adamant to protect his friends and sacrifice himself, Sanji was eventually won over by Luffy’s determination. Watching his friends jump into action prompted Sanji to rely on them over hiding behind his family name.
After a deeply moving reunion with Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, the crew managed to escape the clutches of the Big Mom Pirates before continuing their adventures to find the One Piece.
When Did Sanji Leave and When Did He Return?
Sanji left the Straw Hats in between the Zou Arc, right after being informed of his marriage by Bege and the consequences if he refused.
Sanji chose to leave Luffy and the Straw Hats in Episode 764 of the One Piece anime and Chapters 813-814 in the manga.
He finally rejoined the crew in the Whole Cake Island Arc, after Luffy persistently asked him to reveal his true feelings. Sanji then tearfully admitted to wanting to return.
Sanji is accepted back into the crew and returns in Episode 825 of the anime and Chapter 856 of the manga.
Was Sanji Justified in Leaving Luffy?
We now know why Sanji decided to leave Luffy, however, was he justified in doing so? As we had explored earlier, there are reasons to think that his actions were selfish. However, the majority of fans believe that Sanji’s actions were very brave and noble.
His traumatic past with the Vinsmokes and the danger of one of the Four Emperors in One Piece left him in an impossible predicament. Faced with a tough situation that could potentially kill his crew and captain, he surrendered himself to save them.
Despite arguments about his trust issues with crewmates, Sanji faced a complex situation burdened by his dark past and sense of duty. Sanji’s choice stemmed from a place of fear of losing his friends and the need to protect those he loved.
Opinions on Sanji’s decision to leave vary from person to person. However, everyone agrees that Sanji’s actions and reasoning were not only understandable but also something to sympathize with.
Conclusion
Although a very important member of the Straw Hat Pirates, Sanji had been more of a comic-relief character who often butted heads with Zoro till that point in One Piece. With the introduction of his backstory and other facets of his personality, his character achieved a new level of depth.
His decision to sacrifice the happiness in his life for the sake of his crew illustrates the strong bonds he formed in One Piece as well as the most prominent trait of his character, loyalty.
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